Megan Prokes (photo right), violinist with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, is in demand around town as violinist (or violist on occasion) for a variety of musical organizations. Currently in her fifth season as a member of the BPO, she has performed with the Amherst Symphony Orchestra, at various churches (recently with Dennis Kim’s Vivaldi concerts), not to mention the Buffalo Chamber Players, and as she mentioned in conversation she’ll be back again this summer at the Roycroft Chamber Music Festival in East Aurora.
This Tuesday evening, April 11 at 7:30pm, she will be joined by Eastman School of Music pianist Alison d’Amato in the Montante Cultural Center, which is the re-purposed St. Vincent’s church on Main Street on the Canisius College Campus. It’s an acoustical gem and a stunning architectural space. Prokes and D’Amato will be part of the “BPO-Canisius Connection Informally Formal Chamber Recital Series.” The informal aspect is that the audience does not sit in theater style rows, but at tables, where they can enjoy various snacks. “Canisius does have great snacks” admits Prokes. The formal part is listening to world class musicians as they perform on stage.
Tuesday night’s recital spans 300 years of music, from an early 1700s sonata by Veracini to a contemporary piece by Buffalo composer Caroline Mallonée who is a favorite of Buffalo string players. And there will be a Berceuse (Lullaby) by Ysaÿe and a Romance by Dvorak. After intermission (and more snacks) Prokes and D’Amato will return for the work around which the whole collaborative program was based: the mighty D minor Sonata for Violin and Piano by Brahms.
Tickets at the door are an affordable $15 but only $7 for students at the door or online at www.canisius.edu/artscanisius.